Matatu operators ignore strike call

The national strike called by trade unions collapsed on Monday with matatu owners keeping their vehicles on the road and workers reporting for duty as usual.

In some parts, the day started slowly with cautious matatu owners, wary of having their vehicles attacked, waiting to see whether it was safe to come out.

In the end there was normal service and no transport disruptions and by mid-morning there was no sign of a strike either on the roads or at places of work.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary-general Francis Atwoli called a 10-day nationwide workers’ strike to protest the high cost of living starting Monday. (READ: Threat of national strike over Kenya fuel prices)

But the decision, announced at a paid-for live TV event, appears to have been hastily taken and many workers may not have not known about the protest.

The government took the threat of mass disruption seriously with senior officers from Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office holding lengthy meetings with Mr Atwoli and the matatu lobby.

Mr Atwoli had branded his strike a national strike meaning all workers in the private and public sector were supposed to join in.

Despite the fact that the strike was ignored, Mr Atwoli put on a brave face and claimed to call off the strike.

Together with Matatu Welfare Association boss Dickson Mbugua, who had called the matatu strike, they claimed the boycott had been “70 per cent successful”.

According to Mr Atwoli, the strike was called off following quick intervention by the government, which has now agreed to establish a task force to look into their grievances.

Cotu is pushing for a 30 per cent reduction in fuel prices. They also want the government to tackle rising inflation. (READ: Cotu threatens to call strike in protest over high cost of living)

The task force, to be made up of officials from the Treasury, the ministries of Energy and Labour, Cotu and others, is expected to table its findings and recommendations within three weeks for action by the government.

Valid grievances

“We have had a series of meetings with both Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who agreed that we have valid grievances,” said Mr Atwoli at a news conference at the PM’s office in Nairobi.

On Sunday, the VP met Cotu officials and other associations supporting the industrial action in Nairobi and formed an ad hoc team comprising Transport officials and stakeholders to deal with grievances.

The boycott is supported by the Matatu Drivers and Conductors Association, Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union and the Jua Kali Association of Kenya.

But it does not have the support of the Matatu Owners Association and the majority of matatu saccos countrywide.

“The purpose of the strike was to be heard...I can comfortably say that the government heard us and swiftly came to us for negotiations,” said Mr Atwoli, while responding to why he called off a strike that never was.

“Once they had agreed to negotiate, we had to relax our muscles. You cannot negotiate with someone under duress. If there’s anyone to thank, then it is the government.

“We therefore instructed our people responsible for disseminating information on various social platforms like Facebook and Twitter, among others, to hold their horses.”

He said he had written to President Kibaki explaining their grievances and their intended action should they not be addressed.

Mr Mbugua said it was impossible to resolve their grievances in two hours, explaining the reason they agreed to the establishment of the task force.

“We appreciate the reduction of fuel prices but it is not adequate. This must be reduced further,” he said.

He gave the “success” rate of the matatu strike in Nyanza province as 70 percent, Central (50), Nairobi (50), Rift Valley (50), Eastern (60), Coast (60), North Eastern (70) and Western (80).

In Nairobi, a spot check by the Nation on major routes found business as usual, contradicting claims by Mr Mbugua that matatus were off the road.

The routes include Ngong, Jogoo, Thika and Mombasa Road as well as Waiyaki Way. In Nairobi’s Kawangware estate, youths stoned a bus, accusing the driver of refusing to heed the strike call.